“Today we’re excited to pull back the curtain on our development of what we believe to be the world’s most aero, performance-forward titanium road bike. Constructed from 3D printed titanium and countless hours of post-printing hand labor, the latest iteration of the Reactor is set to launch in 2025 with this prototype debut at the MADE bike show in Portland, OR August 23-25th.” – N0. 22 Bikes
“The Reactor has always been the most race-oriented road frame in our lineup, and the Reactor Aero is the world’s first truly aero optimized titanium road race machine. Developed in-house in conjunction with outside engineers and aerodynamicists, the Reactor Aero’s path to launch has involved extensive CFD simulations with wind tunnel testing to come. Testing to date confirms a 30-40% drag reduction when compared to the current semi-integrated Aurora. As with all No. 22 models, every piece of the frameset is either made by us or specifically for us, providing an unrivaled level of control and precision in the manufacturing process.”
“When developing the Reactor Aero, we aimed not only to set the bar for titanium frame aerodynamics, but to enhance performance in all other areas as well. Drivetrain stiffness was improved upon resulting in likely the most efficient power transfer available on a titanium frame. To achieve this the down tube, bottom bracket intersection, and chain stays were fully redesigned to take advantage of the formal freedoms offered by 3D printing. All other tubing profiles and intersections were also built from the ground up to help temper drivetrain stiffness with the legendary ride quality titanium is known for.”
“The current prototype is a fully 3D printed frame, printed monolithically from Grade 5 titanium powder, save for the seat tube. In keeping with the previous generation of the Reactor, the seat tube is a carbon ISP, this time of an aerodynamic profile, co-developed and produced by @July Cycles. Commercial production will likely see us tempering the use of 3D printing with our decades of expertise in more conventional welding and machining techniques allowing us to tighten the controls over quality, tolerances, and finishes.”
The Gravel Cyclist crew will be at MADE, more on this bike soon!
Additional Photos of this Spectacular Machine
Learn more at the No. 22 Bicycles Website